Today sorrow pulses through the veins and seeps out the eyes. Grief is a heavy burden that cannot be carried alone. Oh Lord, how long? How long will you leave us in sorrow here? We are not without hope but we are shattered by loss. Today you weep with us. Today you comfort us and through your Spirit allow us to comfort as we have been comforted by you. We know you are good but we do not understand. We cannot understand, for it is not to be understood. We long for your presence among us. We are desperate for your love that drives out fear and your peace that transcends understanding. Oh Lord, be not far away. Be as close as the breaths we inhale one by one; that being as much as we can do. Oh Lord, hear our prayer.

How long O LORD? Will you forget us forever? How long will you hide your face from us? How long must we take counsel in our souls and have sorrow in our hearts all the day? How long shall our enemy be exalted over us? Consider and answer us, O LORD our God; light up our eyes, lest we sleep the sleep of death, lest our enemy say, “I have prevailed over them,” lest our foes rejoice because we are shaken. But we have trusted in your steadfast love; our hearts shall rejoice in your salvation. We will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with us.